2010 Recent Sightings
Note that records submitted here may be added to the Bishop's Stortford Bird Group database for use in the on-line annual reports. By posting your news here you are agreeing to have your records copied for this purpose and inclusion in the club records submitted to the two (Essex and Hertfordshire) County bird recorders. 26 April Blount's Farm (near War memorial) - 1 Turtle Dove (seen but not heard); also 2 Yellow Wagtails. 3 Sedge Warblers singing in Walbury Estate; Thorley Wash - lots of Common Whitethroats, otherwise fairly quiet. Dave Sampson 1245hrs - Bloodhound's Wood - 1 WOOD WARBLER heard singing (without preceeding pew pew pew ''notes) and then seen in canopy - Andy Gibson '''25th April' : Sawbridgeworth Marsh - 41X - 1 Grasshopper Warbler in rough field on west side of river, 3 Common Whitethroats, 4 Sedge Warblers, 1 Reed Warbler, 1 Cuckoo calling all on and off during the morning from Valet Homes, 2 – 3 Chiffchaffs, 1 Blackcap. Also – Green-veined White, Peacock, Small White, Orange Tip & Comma. - Andy Sapsford : Great Parndon - - Red Kite circled north over Great Parndon at 15:05 into our area. - Mike Harris 24th April : Blount's Farm 41N - 1 Yellow Wagtail on track just SW of farm : Mathams Wood 41U - 1 Yellow Wagtail on track from Moor Hall to Mathams Wood. : Southern CP 41U - Common Whitethroat, Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler all heard around lake. Tony Moverley : Sawbridgeworth Marsh - 41X - Sparrowhawk (1), carrying prey towards Spill Timbers Wood, Kestrel (1) on west side of river. Sedge Warbler (4+). Reed Warbler (1). Blackcap (1). Lesser Whitethroat (1).in the Essex part of the Reserve. Whitethroat (2 males), displaying over rough field on west side of river. Chiffchaff (2). Reed Bunting (1 male). - Chris Swan : SLRS - 41W - Snipe 1, Lapwing 1, Garganey 1m, Gadwall pair, Linnet 11, LBBG 3, House Martin c5, Swallow 2m Stock Dove 5, plus a few Warblers - John Slee 23rd April : Sawbridgeworth Marsh - 41X - 7 Sedge Warbler, Treecreeper, Great Spotted Woodpecker - Chris Dee 22nd April : Aubrey Buxton EWT - 52D - Spring call of Green Woodpecker - David Arch : Thorley Church to Thorley Wash - 3 WHEATEAR on footpath at 0530 Hrs with single Cmn Whitethroat singing nearby. : Thorley Wash - 6 Cmn Whitethroat (all males), 2 Sedge Warbler improves on y'day's 1, single GRASSHOPPER WARBLER, Chiffchaff, Blackcap and Willow Warbler, 0545-0700 Hrs. Spellbrook (west) - 3 Common Buzzard and Sparrowhawk, all over between North and North-west, also a hunting Kestrel.- Greame J Smith 21st April : Ash Valley GC - 42F - Two Wheatear this morning on first fairway - David Arch : Level's Green -42S - Linnet X 2 : Moorfield Spring (field W) - 42L - Wheatear X 5 : Hixham Hall - 42N - Mistle Thrush with food, Common Buzzard X 2 : Patmore Hall/Hixham Wood - 42N - Common Buzzard X 4 soaring 1 calling from wood - Mick East : Spellbrook (west) - 41U - Common Buzzard X 2, Red Kite 10:40 - Greame J Smith : SLRS (16:00-18:00) -41W - 1st Mallard brood on scrape (F+3Y), M Garganey, 1 House Martin - Mike Harris 20th April : SLRS - 41W - Garganey still there; 2 House Martins; and in Pishiobury (directly behind where you view the Gargeney) 2 Common Whitethroats; 2 female Sparrowhawks sparring; I Grasshopper Warbler reeling well and giving reasonably good views; I Cuckoo; . Near Tednambury Barn Owl at probable nest site (saw it enter hole in Oak Tree); I Common Buzzard. At Thorley Wash only two Common Whitethroats - Dave Sampson : Level's Green - 42S - House Sparrow, 20+ : Albury - 42M - High Hall - House Sparrow 15+ : Albury - 42M - Graves End - House Sparrow 9 : Moorfield Spring (field W) - 42L - Common Buzzard - Mick East : Thorley Wash 0530 Hrs- - Willow Warbler on 2nd day into double figures, 5+ each of Chiffchaff and Blackcap, 1 Swallow North, 5 COMMON WHITETHROAT 4M 1F, 1 SEDGE WARBLER and 1 GRASSHOPPER WARBLER,- Greame J Smith 19th April : Level's Green - 42S - Swallow, 3 on wires - Mick East 18th April : SAL (06:50-07:35) - 52K - 1 Little Grebe (S/P), 7 Mallard (3pr + M), 16 Coot (8pr), 5 Moorhen, 1 Lapwing (S @ 07:30), 3 BH Gull, 2 Green Woodpecker, 2 Skylark singing,. 1M Blackcap singing, 2MM Chiffchaff singing, 1 Phyllosc sp., 5 Jay having territorial disputes, 1M Yellowhammer singing - Mike Harris : Bailey Hills - 42R - Common Buzzard : Patmore Heath - 42M - Common Buzzard X 3 - Mick East : SLRS - 41W - Grasshopper Warbler, reeling in rank vegetation herts side of the river and seen well,drake Garganey flying around the area with pair of Gadwall, Cukoo and Willow warbler heard - Laurence Drummonnd 17th April : Spellbrook Lock 41U - Two very active Grey Wagtails (but the lock is encased in scaffolding while the lock is repaired during their breeding season!) - Tony Moverley : Hollingson Meads/Pye Corner - 41L - Lesser Whitethroat, also 3 Common Whitethroat and one sedge warbler,no willow or grasshopper warbler yet. - Laurence Drummonnd : SLRS (17:30-18:00) - 41W - 1 Little Grebe, 11 Mallard (5pr + 5M's), 5 Gadwall(2pr + M), 2 Teal (pr), 1M GARGANEY, 2 R L Partridge, 6 Coot, 1 Lapwing, 2 LBB Gull (both Ads), 1 GS Woodpecker (drumming), 1M Swallow singing, 1M Chiffchaff singing, : 2 Small Tortoishell - Mike Harris : Patmore Heath - 42M - Common Buzzard : Thorley Wash junc - 41Z - Sparrowhawk pr - Mick East 16th April : Hatfield Forest - 52K - Mistle Thrush carrying food, TL51P GC Grebe still on nest near Shell House. - Chris Swan : Town Centre Swan's Nest - 42V - Preening again and all eggs covered - David Arch : SLRS - 41W - 1700 - 1810 - Male Garganey at southern end of lake, staying closest to river bank edge. Pair of teal; pair of gadwall; 2 little grebe; 1 WATER RAIL seen darting between juncus tussocks at northern end of the open water and then at 1820hrs GRASSHOPPER WARBLER heard reeling from low scrub around small pond at base of oak tree, at the junction of duckboard paths at TL 486 139, across river from SLRS lake. - Andy Gibson 15th April : Patmore Heath - 42M - Common Buzzard X 2 : Blount's Farm - 41T - Green Woodpecker over : Thorley Wash - 41Z - Cuckoo, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Magpie, Robin, Wren, Heron, Blackbird,Mallard, Jackdaw,Carrion Crow, Nuthatch, Goldfinch, Blue Tit, Great Tit - Mick East : Bishop's Stortford - TL 42V - Rook, Rookery with 15 nests north of Great Hadham Road, visible from B/S College playing fields. - Chris Swan : SLRS - 41W - Garganey still present late yesterday plus Grasshopper Warbler sang just once in sedge behind us. Relocated it singing in the field behind that.- Mike Franklin : Bishop's Stortford - 42V - Riverside Walk - For those disappointed by the loss of House Sparrow habitat in Devoils Lane be aware that the buddleia (by the toilets actually) is either proving another partial substitute or was always in use by birds of this species - David Arch. 14th April : Trims Green - 41T - Merlin Male, between Blount's Farm and Mathams Wood 16:15 - Greame J Smith : Moorfield Spring Woods - 42R - Common Buzzard 1 am & pm - Mick East : SLRS - 41W - Garganey still present late yesterday along with 1x Teal, 3x Gadwall, 2 x Lapwing, 2x Little Grebe, 3x Swallows and a Kingfisher flying over plus lots of Chiffchaff and Blackcap.- Mike Franklin 13th April : SLRS - 41W -Garganey 1 male, first seen waddling along the river bank with two Gadwall. Also 2 pair Bullfinch, Blackcaps everywhere, plus Teal and a Little Grebe on the pond. - John Slee : Thorley Wash - 41Z - 2 male Cuckoos; 2 Swallows; 4 Willow Warblers. Dave Sampson : Southern CP, B/S - 41U - 1 Willow Warbler singing at eastern of the lake. Tony Moverley : Shaw Wood - 42M - Common Buzzard : Patmore Hall Wood - 42M - Common Buzzard - Mick East 12th April : Ninno Wood - 42M - Common Buzzard : Bloodhound Wood - 42R - Common Buzzard : Calfsfield Spring - 42W - Common Buzzard : Mill Lane - 42L - Swallow - Mick East 11th April : Aubrey Buxton Nature Reserve - 52D - Pr Mallard, AdF Sparrowhawk, R L Partridge, Pheasant, Moorhen, Stock Doves (1 pr entering nest hole), 3 Green Woodpecker, 1 G S Woodpecker (at nest hole), 6 Blackcap (4 singing males + silent pair), 3 Chiffchaff (singing males), 1 Coal Tit singing, 2 prs L T Tits, 2 Nuthatch (one singing), Yellowhammer calling. : SLRS (12:45-13:45) - 41W - 1 Little Grebe (S/P - new arrival), 2 Cormorant (Corm tree), 6 Mallard (2pr, M & M Cayuga), 4 Gadwall (2pr), 1M GARGANEY, 7 Coot (one on nest), 1 Green Woodpecker, 1M Skylark singing, - Mike Harris : Sawbridgeworth Marsh - 41X - Reed Warbler, Male singing in reedbed, Cuckoo heard calling in Fox Earth Wood (near Kecksy' Bridge to west of reserve) - Andrew Sapsford 10th April : Foxdells Farm - 42W - Common Buzzard X 2 : Nino Woods - 42M - Common Buzzard : Patmore Heath - 42M - Common Buzzard X 2 sky dancing briefly, also Song Thrush - Mick East : Trims Green (07:50-08:10) - - 7 Stock Dove, 1 Green Woodpecker, c.25 Fieldfare, 1M RING OUSEL (flushed from Parsonage lane, just before Newhouse Farm TL477167. 1M Reed Bunting singing at Blounts - Mike Harris 9th April : Moorfield Spring Woods - 42R - Common Buzzard X 2 : Ninno Wood - 42M - Common Buzzard - Mick East : Hatfield Forest Lake - 51P - GC Grebe (2), One on nest under Sallow opposite fishermen's shelter by Shell House. Very exposed but will be better when the leaves open out. : Bishop's Stortford - 42Q - Blackcap (1 male), Singing and showing well in Dane Park this morning. - Chris Swan : Town Centre - 42V - Mute Swan nest shows one egg - others covered during preening - David Arch : SLRS - 41W - Dusk. Garganey on river then to lake with Gadwall pair. Call. Display. Little Grebe. Coot on nest. Pair of Canada Geese. - Peter Smith 8th April : Trims Green - 41T - 1 Corn Bunting singing at entrance to Morris Farm/Lysander Park : Hayter Spellbrook West - 41Y - 2 Red-legged Partridge - Graeme J. Smith : Bailey Hills - 42S - Common Buzzard Albury Village Hall - 42H - Common Buzzard X 2 : Albury (Patmore Hall Access Road) - 42M - Common Buzzard X 2 over woods west of road : Patmore Heath - 42M - Common Buzzard X4 Sparrowhawk X 2 (SW) : Town Centre - 42V - Mute Swan on nest (3 eggs) Mick East 7th April : Trims Green - 41T - 1 Grey Partridge - Graeme J. Smith : SLRS (16:30-18:00) - 41W- 5 Mallard, 2 Gadwall, 2 Teal, 1M GARGANEY, 10 Coot (5prs - increase), 1M Chiffchaff singing - : Feakes Lock - 41W - Common Buzzard over - Mike Harris 6th April : On a walk between Thorley village thru Mathams; Spellbrook;Tednambury and Thorley Wash this morning:- 5 Common Buzzards (2 Mathams Wood 41U; 1 Tednambury 41Y, 2 Thorley Wash 41Z); one adult Great Crested Grebe on Southern Country Park Lake 41U (this is my first sighting of this species on any local water - other than Hatfield - since moving to BS in 2002); 3 Yellowhammers; 7 Chiffchaffs; 2 Blackcaps; 5 Swallows; 1 Brimstone and 3 Peacock butterflies - Dave Sampson : Sheering Lower Road Scrape '-' 41W - Male Garganey still present this afternoon - David Arch : near Lordship Farm - 42F - 36 Fieldfare - David Arch : Stansted Road - 42V - Long-tailed Tit nest complete - David Arch 5th April : SLRS - 41W - Garganey still early AM 4th April : Farnham - Upwick Road (Essex) - 42R - Skylark X 2 - Mick East : Manuden Downs - 42Y- Common Buzzard x4; Sparrowhawk (1 female) - Mark Pegrum : SAL (16:00-16:30) - 51P - 13 Mallard (6pr + M),18 Coot (9pr), 1Ad LBB Gull (S), 1 Stock Dove : Hatfield Forest Carpark (16:35) - 52K - 11 Swallow over : SLRS (17:00-17:40) - 41W - 2 Cormorant (N), 4 Mallard (2pr), 2 Teal (pr), 1M Garganey, 12 Gadwall (5pr+2MM), 4 Coot (pr), 2 Lapwing, 3 BH Gull (1 on scrape, 2 High SW), 1 Common Gull ( SW - with BHG's) 18 LBB gull(all Ads) - Mike Harris 3rd April : Patmore Heath - 42M - Blackcap, singing in normal location, Chiffchaff, Song Thrush (pr). : Great Plantings Wood - 42Q - Common Buzzard X 2 : Hill Farm - 42S - Mistle Thrush X 2 - Mick East : A120 Bishop's Stortford Bypass - TL42W - Common Buzzard (3), Circling over fields NW of bypass near Farnham Road bridge at 11 a.m. : Bishop's Stortford - TL42Q - Bullfinch (2) Pair on seed feeder in private garden. : Hatfield Forest - TL51J Collin's Coppice: GS Woodpecker (2 drumming), Chiffchaff (3 singing); : TL51P Lake: GC Grebe (3), Cormorant (1), Teal (2 pairs), Tufted Duck (3 pairs), Swallow (6), Grey Wagtail(1), Willow Warbler (1 Singing male) showing well in lakeside bushes, Reed Bunting (1 male). - Chris Swan : Furneux Pelham NW - 41J - Common Buzzard pair skydancing - Mike Harris 2nd April : SAL (07:25-07:55) - 52K - 9 Mallard (2pr + 5 bachelors), 16 Coot (8pr), 2 Moorhen (lowest ever number in recent times), 2 BH Gull, (SW), 2 Green Woodpecker, 2 SWALLOW, 2 Skylark (singing males), 1 REDWING (E), 3 CHIFFCHAFF (singing males), 2 Jay, 1 Goldfinch (NE), 1M Bullfinch, 2MM Reed Bunting : Hatfield Forest (08:00-08:35) - 51P- 4 G C Grebe, 2 Cormorant, 6 Grey Lag goose (3pr), 2 Canada Goose (pr), 17 Mallard, 6 Teal (3pr), 3 Gadwall (pr + M), 4 Tufted Duck (2pr), 2 Coot (pr), 6 SWALLOW, 2 Marsh Tit (pr), 1 CHIFFCHAFF (singing male), 8 Goldfinch : SLRS (08:55-09:15) - 41W- 3 Mallard (pr + M), 4 Teal (2pr), 2 Gadwall (pr), 1 Common Buzzard, 4 Coot (2pr), 2 Lapwing (territorial males), 2 BH Gull - Mike Harris 1st April : Farnham - Upwick Road (Herts) - 42R - Common Buzzard - Mick East : Hudshill Plantation - 42S - Barn Owl just south of woods by road. 22:40 - Mick East : Hayter Spellbrook West - 41Y- 1 Chiffchaff : Spellbrook to Twyford Lock - 41Z - 7 Chiffchaff, 1 Bullfinch, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Singing Bullfinch, 2 Grey Wagtail at Twyford Lock and 1 male Blackcap giving full song 50 yards South : Cemetery in Cemetery Road - 42V - Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Chiffchaff, 1 singing Mistle Thrush, 9 Coal Tit, only 3 Goldcrest! 4 Jay (a site record for me) and 1 Green Woodpecker + all the usuals. : Bishop's Stortford Green Belt - 42V - 1 Comma and a cracking combination of 1 Common Buzzard Vs 1 Herring Gull, calling anxiously at eachother while passing overhead SW : Stort Park Farm East - 42Q - 6 Pied Wagtail down on the SW Lawn and first Moorhen since they were all 'foxed' mid summer 09 - Graeme J. Smith : Bishop's Stortford: Rook. Updated rookery survey as follows: TL42V Maze Green Road - 10 nests (unchanged), TL42Q Hadham Road - 5 nests (up 1), TL41U Thorley Lane East - 8 nests (up 1). - Chris Swan